"LOWER CALL COSTS TODAY OR BE NAMED AND SHAMED!"

2.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 31st Jul 2007

Mobile phone companies must cut the amount they charge for making and receiving calls by 70% by today or face being 'named and shamed' by the European Commission by the end of the week.

EU legislation on mobile roaming charges comes into action on Wednesday and will mean significant price cuts for West Midlands holidaymakers abroad this summer.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat MEP for the West Midlands Liz Lynne said:

"When people go on holiday abroad this August they will see that instead of paying something like £2 pounds a minute simply for receiving a call, they will now only be charged around 16p a minute. There will also a massive reduction in the cost of making a call when abroad - down to 34p a minute this summer, and even cheaper next year."

"Action at an EU level has come to the rescue of consumers, who had been exploited and manipulated by the mobile phone companies for far too long. Operators must now quickly comply with the law or face the consequences."

ENDS